Ry thumped the control to close the door of his cabin and leaned against the rigid surface. Every sense screamed, colors and scents more vivid than they’d ever been before. He stomped to his bunk and sat on the edge to tug off both boots and trews. Naked, he prowled to the sanitizer, desperate to rid himself of the woman’s scent, the feel of her silky skin. Ry turned slowly inside the sanitizer. Using the calming exercises the seer had taught him, he attempted to center his mind, let his tension seep away.
Didn’t work.
Ten mins later, fully dressed, he strode to the bridge, but before he arrived, the woman halted him in his tracks. In shock, he stared at her. Attraction had simmered in him before, but now…now he saw her true magnificence. One of his crew, probably Kaya, had given her clean clothes and shoved her through the sanitizer. Her dark hair glowed with cleanliness, the color reminding him of a blackbird’s wing. Long and smooth it hung down to her shoulders in a dark wave. And her scent. It called him.
With two giant steps, Ry closed the space separating them. He stared down at the human woman, drawing her clean scent deep into his lungs. Unbidden, his hand moved to cup her cheek, and without another thought he dipped his head to press their lips together.
Instantaneous reaction thrummed in his body, nerve endings exploding with the emotions bombarding his mind. The feline pulsed against his skin, battling him for control.
Take her
.
The words whispered through his mind, and he drew her against his chest, holding her more securely and taking the kiss deeper. He nibbled her bottom lip, gave her a quick nip when she was slow to respond, and when she opened her mouth in an O of surprise, he slipped his tongue inside.
Sweet. So sweet.
Need and desire pummeled him. He wanted more.
So much more
. A vision of him thrusting into her wet pussy gripped him, drove him to run his hands down her back, to explore her curves.
The woman groaned but didn’t protest or push him away, and some of his tension lifted. Ry relaxed, fiercely glad of her willingness. He didn’t think he could stop, not with ease.
Their tongues stroked together and soon needy cries came from the woman. She gripped his shoulders and rubbed her breasts against his chest, each of her touches like a remote control on his cock. Ry let his hands slip down her spine to her butt, his breaths hoarse, his knees weak.
He’d never felt this way before. True, the feline became bad-tempered and unpredictable when he neglected feeding his voracious appetite, but this…this…something different again.
The compulsion he’d labored under since first sighting the woman strengthened, bolstered by her touch and scent. She rubbed against him, seeming to suffer the same throb of urgency. Ry gripped her buttocks and easily lifted her, sliding his erection along the notch between her thighs. Exquisite pleasure roared through him as he smelled her arousal, felt her heat. He shuddered, desperately wanting to touch naked skin, to thrust into her hot pussy.
“Captain. Captain!”
The woman leapt in fright, jamming their bodies closer together. Ry glared over her shoulder at the seer even as he savored the sharp jolt of pleasure soaring to his cock. “What do you want?”
“Unhand the woman, Captain. You can’t use her and discard her like the other women,” Mogens chided. “We need her.”
Ry’s hands stilled on her back. The warmth of her skin radiated through the coarse linen of her shirt. She was his. His hands moved down to cup her bottom again.
His
.
“Captain.” The infinite patience in Mogens’ voice finally penetrated the crazed sexual haze gripping him. “Captain, we arrive at Ornum on the morrow. We need a plan of attack.” His words also implied Ry could have women tomorrow—as many as he wanted.
Every part of Ry protested when he set the woman on her feet, but he peeled his hands from her shapely ass. He dragged in a breath and watched through narrowed eyes while Mogens led the woman away. Mogens never looked back.
The woman did.
Her brown eyes were wide, full of shock, and he knew exactly how she felt. He’d never experienced such a high or been so driven to claim a woman. His cock throbbed in acknowledgment of the fact. Ry sauntered after them, his gaze fastened on the feminine sway of hips. She wasn’t a big woman like Jannike or a warrior like Kaya. Petite, she came up to his chest. Her skin appeared pale and her whole look was one of fragility. Ry recalled the stench on her breath when they’d first found her. She hadn’t tasted bad when they’d kissed. No, he’d tasted a hint of one of Mogens’ potions. He watched her throw another glance over her shoulder, alarm slamming him when he saw her flash of fear. A rumble of protest vibrated deep in his throat. The woman hadn’t acted frightened before.
He knew her mouth intimately, had felt her body tremble against his but had no idea of the woman’s name.
Uncomfortable with the direction of his thoughts, Ry stalked in the rear, never shifting his focus from Mogens and the woman. At the age of eighteen, when he’d taken the first steps from law-abiding citizen to thief, he’d decided to avoid romantic entanglements. The life of an outlaw was not conducive to family life. He wasn’t partner material because in a society that took pride in tracing their families back generations, he knew nothing, had no official birth papers. Not an attractive proposition for any woman or her family. Even his fiancée Meghan had turned away, preferring Talor instead, meeting him on the sly.
He’d decided to embrace all women instead of one before he’d unexpectedly turned feline. Now his sexual appetites worked better with a variety of women and large numbers. Ry snorted. No female wanted to stand aside while her partner satiated his needs with other women.
Another glance at the woman brought a snarl. The echo bounced back in mockery. They’d reach Ornum soon. He’d take care of things then continue with their cartage and salvage as usual. That had to work. The woman wasn’t his and could never be his. He’d promised to return her to Earth. Yeah, hands off while he concentrated on kicking Talor’s butt. The need to clear his name was a surefire way of keeping his fascination with the woman at bay.
Camryn let Changing Man lead her away. Her limbs trembled so much she wobbled. Nothing about this seemed real. She’d stepped beyond alcohol-induced dreams and straight into nightmare territory. It was the only explanation for the way she’d let Cat Man paw her. If Changing Man hadn’t come along…
Her breath hissed out and alarm took over. The backs of her eyes stung, burning with unshed tears.
Gabriel
. She hadn’t thought of him once while Cat Man had kissed her. Not once. A tear slipped free and she dashed it away with the back of her right hand. She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t spend time with a man who…who…
Kissed her as if there were no other available women. Kissed her as if she meant everything.
Her mind shied from the truth—how much she’d enjoyed his touch, encouraged him even. It couldn’t happen again. It wouldn’t. She’d train the horses for the aliens and follow their instructions, giving them no reason to steal Max from his family. At least she could give her brother and sister-in-law that.
The headache returned with vengeance, pinching at her temples. With a trembling hand, she pressed her fingers against her scalp to massage lightly. The inside of her mouth felt like the compacted dust and dirt of a dry racetrack while her mind screamed for the sweet oblivion only possible with a sip or two of alcohol. God, she wanted a drink in the worst possible way. Her head continued to thud, woolly and thick, while her limbs trembled in a noticeable way. Embarrassment seeped into her cheeks as she tucked a quaking hand under the tunic top the warrior woman had given her to wear.
Max had pointed out her tendency to shake and shudder during his lecture on drinking. Exhibit two or three. She couldn’t quite remember. There’d been a few items. An endless litany. Oh yeah. A snigger broke out, drawing the alien’s attention. Loss of memory and unreliability had scored at number six on Max’s list. Just went to prove she couldn’t be as bad as Max made out if she could remember his stupid list of misdemeanors.
“What is your name, child?” The changing man glimmered an attractive white-gray, reminding Camryn of a lustrous pearl.
“Camryn O’Sullivan.”
“My name is Mogens Vere.” The changing man halted and gazed deep into her eyes. “Gabriel says it’s not your fault.”
“What?” A distinct wobble threaded through her voice and shock lashed her body, robbing her mind of humor.
“He was here. He’s gone now.”
She gaped at Mogens, watched his face bleed from pretty pearl to alarming black. The alien played a cruel trick. Gabriel was beyond reach. Horror built inside until she could contain the pressure no more. It exploded in a scream. Loud. So loud it hurt her head, her ears, set the red caterpillars squirming.
Crazy
. Max had missed crazy off his list.
Changing Man’s mouth worked, but she couldn’t hear his words because her terrified screams drowned out everything. Then hands grasped her from behind, pulling her back against a hard chest. Camryn’s scream cut off midway, the throbbing silence almost worse than the high-pitched terror. With a sob, she dragged in a deep breath, struggling for air, battling to control her panic.
How had the changing man known about Gabriel? Had he read her mind? He’d said… Camryn recoiled from the thought.
Arms tightened around her. “What is it? What’s wrong?” His seductive voice sent renewed fear through Camryn. She didn’t want this, didn’t want his touch. She did not.
Camryn struggled fiercely, stomping on his instep with her heavy boots, the only item of apparel that belonged to her. The rest she’d borrowed from the warrior even if they swamped her smaller frame. “Let me go.”
The man released her, stepping back when Mogens nodded. Once free, Camryn scrambled away, scuttling like a gangly newborn foal. With wary eyes she waited for the slightest indication they’d jump her. Running footsteps from behind had her whirling about. “Don’t come near me,” she shrieked. “Stay away.”
“Hold.” The terse order from Cat Man stopped the aliens. Once his crew froze, he turned his attention on her. Those green chatoyant eyes saw too much. They tempted, made her want to touch. Spooked at the wanton desire swamping her, Camryn retreated when he prowled nearer. “Easy,” he crooned. “No one will hurt you.”
Camryn’s heart thudded. The throb inside her skull marked time.
Wrong
. Nothing easy about this situation. “He said Gabriel was here.” She thrust out a trembling finger and pointed at Mogens. “It’s a lie. A horrible lie.” Changing Man must have read her thoughts to learn of Gabriel’s importance to her. “He delved inside my mind…and…and plucked out Gabriel’s name. He trespassed on private thoughts.”
“I did not.” Mogens blazed pure black, violet eyes flashing like beacons in his obsidian face. “I do not read minds.” He glanced at Cat Man and his top lip curled. “Others might steal thoughts but not me.” Mogens folded his arms across his chest, the action reminding Camryn of a full stop. Changing Man seemed highly insulted at her accusation and quivered with indignation.
“Can we discuss our plan for catching the hell-horse?” the other woman crewmember asked with a trace of impatience. She strode to the control center of the ship. Camryn supposed it was the bridge.
Hell-horse? Catching the hell-horse?
Changing Man stalked past her, following the rest of the crew and leaving her with Cat Man. She pulled up a scowl and aimed it at him. “What did she mean our plan? Isn’t it in a yard, ready for me to start breaking in?”
And what the hell is a hell-horse?
“My name is Ryman. My crew calls me Ry or Captain, not Cat Man.”
He slipped his arm around her waist, moving so quickly she didn’t have a chance to sidestep and ushered her through the wide doorway to join the others. His muscles flexed against her lower back, the inherent strength of him bringing a tendril of fear. Changing Man mightn’t have read her mind but this man had.
“Damn,” he cursed softly. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. Usually I can block, but you’re broadcasting so loudly it’s hard to ignore your thoughts. Once our meeting is over, go to Mogens and ask him to teach you to block thoughts. He’s taught my crew. You’ve met Kaya already. That’s Jannike, my second-in-command. Yep over there is our pilot. That’s his brother Nanu. Nanu is our engineer, and you know Mogens. This is our hell-horse trainer Camryn.”
Camryn swallowed and concentrated on the introductions instead of Ry and the heat emanating from his impressive body. The minute Cat Man touched her all the panic faded. He soothed her ragged edges with his touch. Oh she still craved a drink—badly—but he drove away other concerns. She peeked at him from between lowered lashes, unsure of how to react. Plain weird. He obviously had other rinky-dinky superpowers and did more than read minds and transform to a cat. She shot him a suspicious glance, acknowledging the depth of her unease.
“We will not hurt you.” The cat man’s green eyes locked on her, magnetic and compelling. With an uneven breath, she ripped her gaze away to stare at her boots.
Take one day at a time
, Gabriel had always told her when she’d stressed about an upcoming race meeting or worried about the lack of winning rides. Take each day one at a time and the rest will take care of themselves.
“Welcome, Camryn O’Sullivan.” His husky voice stroked across her nerve endings, pulling her body to full alert.
Camryn had trouble suppressing the tremor of awareness. She swallowed, trying to hold her body away from his touch. It didn’t work.
He just moved nearer, curving her to his body as if he had every right. “What is it?”
Call her old-fashioned but Camryn wasn’t about to tell a stranger, and an alien at that, she wanted to jump his bones, rip off his clothes and rub against him like a cat in heat.
Oh bad, bad comparison
. Her mouth tightened and she shot him a wary glance, hoping like heck he hadn’t eavesdropped.
A smirk tugged at his lips, the sexy smile taking her by surprise. Camryn stared, a pulse jumping at her temple.